Duration:  12 Days

Dates:  TBA (Summer / Early Fall 2027)

Thessaloniki • Phillippi • Kavala • Kalambaka • Meteora • Delphi • Athens • Piraeus • Mykonos • Kusadasi (Turkey)

Cost:  $5,999 - All Inclusive (See Trip Inclusions Section)

Trip Leaders:  Deacon Scott Sparks • priest TBA

Trip Guides:  TBA

Day 1 (Friday): Fly from U.S.A.

Day 2 (Saturday): Arrival.  Celebrate Mass at the Holy Catholic Cathedral of Saint Denis the Areopagite.  Tour of Athens by bus. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

Day 3 (Sunday): Athens ~  Attend the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom at Greek Byzantine Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.  Visit Holy Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary to venerate the prison chains that shackled Saint Paul.  Stroll along the Grand Promenade, a pedestrian-only boulevard, made of cobblestone and marble, which skirts the Acropolis Hill. You’ll get a glimpse of the Theater of Dionysus, where the latest dramas of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides once filled audiences with pity and dread.  Follow Adrianou (Hadrian) Street to the colorful Plaka neighborhood, where a maze of narrow medieval lanes twist and turn through ancient sites, Byzantine churches, offbeat museums and quaint shops, restaurants, and cafes.  Spend the day exploring this pedestrian-friendly district that's rich in history and romance.  Dinner and overnight in Athens

Day 4 (Monday): Athens ~ Start 4-day Cruise (Celestyal Cruise Lines or Gimini) Mykonos Our first port-of-call is Mykonos. It is the most cosmopolitan of all Greek islands and attracts many visitors from all over the globe, including large numbers of artists and intellectuals. Your coaches will take you to Hora the island's capital where you'll enjoy a walking tour in the narrow cobbled streets of the town, passing by chic boutiques, elegant nightclubs and white washed houses till reaching Alefkandra. Alefkandra is a charming corner of Hora, known also as the "Venice" of Mykonos. You'll return then to Mykonos Town (Hora) from where you'll take the ship's shuttle service back to the port. Return back to the ship.

Day 5 (Tuesday): Kusadasi and Ephesus (Turkey) and Patmos ~ we begin our day arriving at Kusadasi which is a lively Turkish port. Drive through the colorful town of Kusadasi to reach Mt. Koressos. Situated in a small valley, it is here where you will visit the humble chapel which lies on the site of the little house where The Virgin Mary is believed to have spent her last days. This site has been sanctioned by the Vatican for pilgrimage. Continue on to Ancient Ephesus and accompanied by your guide, walk through the Magnesian Gate which is the entrance to the ancient city of Ephesus. See the Odeon (concert hall), the Fountain of Trajan, the steam-heated Baths of Scolastika, the Temple of Hadrian and the Latrians, the Library of Celsus and The Great Theatre, where St. Paul preached, which is the largest theatre in antiquity having a capacity of 24,000 people. Walk back to your motor coach along the Arcadian Way, where Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession. While driving back to Kusadasi and just outside Ephesus, view the Basilica of St. John, which was erected over his grave in the 6th Century AD by the Emperor Justinian. Before returning to the ship, enjoy free time in Kusadasi. Continue our journey to Patmos, where we will enjoy a short journey to the village of Chora, where the monastery of St. John is built within the walls of a strong fortification. As you walk uphill towards the entrance of the monastery marvel at this magnificent structure, which was build 900 years ago, exceptional in its architecture. View the courtyard, the monk's dining room and the old bakery before you visit the main church noting its outstanding frescoes and interior decoration. Next, see the priceless ecclesiastical treasures housed in the beautiful but small museum: books and manuscripts, mosaics, Icons, splendid medieval textiles and vestments as well as jewelry. Return to your motor coach to continue on to the nearby Grotto of the Apocalypse, where above stands the Monastery of the Apocalypse, a sub-unit of the main monastery. Walk down the steps to visit the Grotto of the Apocalypse. Here you will see the silver niches in the wall that mark the pillow and ledge used as a desk by the author of the Book of the Revelation as well as the three-fold crack made by the voice of God emphasizing the honor of the Holy Trinity. Afterwards, drive back to the port of Scala and enjoy some free time in this quaint and picturesque harbor. Return back to the ship.

Day 6 (Wednesday): Early morning arrival in Rhodes. This fortified stronghold was built by a Crusading Order which originated from Palestine. After your stroll, enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere from one of the elegant cafes on the yacht harbor, you may take an OPTIONAL excursion to visit the Temple of Athena on the majestic, rocky Acropolis of Lindos,St Paul bay where St Paul docked, with the blue Aegean beneath it and the sophisticated, whitewashed artists' colony at its foot. Possibility to celebrate mass at St maria Catholic Church of Rhodes. Overnight onboard.

Day 7 (Thursday):  Heraklion and Santorini ~ in the morning we will visit Heraklion. Heraklion is just three miles away from the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 and partially reconstructed, the elaborate Palace is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. It is in Heraklion where Paul met the owner and captain of the ship who warned him of continuing his journey to Rome. In the afternoon we will cruise on to the idyllic island of Santorini. Santorini is perhaps the most breathtaking of all the Greek Islands. In the town of Thira, white-washed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes and glittering boutiques cling to steep cliffs, accessible by cable-car or mule. Return back to the ship.

Day 8 (Friday): Port-Delphi-Kalambaka  ~  Early morning dock at Pireaus port, disembarkation and start our touring. Visit Delphi, the center of the ancient world (navel) of the earth, whose prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic world. On the slopes of Mount Parnassus, in a landscape of unparalleled beauty and majesty, lie the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios. Continue to Kalambaka. Dinner and overnight in Kalambaka.

Day 9 (Saturday): Meteora, Thessaloniki city-tour ~ visit Meteora Monasteries. Among striking scenery, perched on top of huge rocks, that seem to be suspended in mid-air, stand ageless monasteries where you can see exquisite specimens of Byzantine art. Women must wear a skirt, or have a scarf that can be wrapped like a skirt, when visiting the Monasteries. Men will need to wear long pants and have their shoulders covered. If women wear slacks, they need to bring a scarf that will cover their pants so that it looks like a skirt. Continue to Thessaloniki. Paul preached in Thessaloniki during the winters of 49-50 AD and wrote two epistles to the ancient Thessalonians. See the ramparts of the city, the triumphal Arch of Galerius starting at the Via Egnatia, once a strategic artery of the Roman Empire. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 10 (Sunday): Philippi, Kavala, Thessaloniki ~ Visit Philippi where Paul delivered his first sermon in Europe, sowing the seeds of Christianity. "And from there (He went) to Philippi" Acts 16:12-18 Here Paul baptized a certain woman named Lydia, the first Christian convert in Europe. Among the ruins, located on the rocky ledge above the town's main road is the prison where Paul and Silas were thrown. Continue into the modern port city of Kavala, ancient Neapolis, where Paul accompanied by Silas, Luke and Timothy, first set foot in Europe. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 11 (Monday): Tour of Thessaloniki. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 12 (Tuesday): Fly back home.

Please note: We do our best to ensure that all sites listed in this itinerary will be seen. However, due to scheduling conflicts, or other circumstances beyond our control, sites may be visited on a different day than listed. If this happens it will also necessitate a change in the restaurant for dinner. However, we will never sacrifice the quality of the meal, all restaurants will meet Proximo Travel's very high standards. Since we have several different trip configurations touring at the same time, it is likely that groups on different tours will be combined when their itineraries overlap in certain areas.

Trip Includes

• Flights from anywhere in the United States and flights between countries as per your itinerary (all necessary flights on your trip are included).

• Daily Mass will be scheduled.

• Airport taxes, security fees & fuel surcharges, saving you an average of $400-$600!

• Transfers as per itinerary. Transportation with luxury bus.

• 4 or 5 star hotels in downtown areas.

• All breakfasts and all dinners. Wine included with all dinners, except on the cruise. 

• All tips to driver, hotel, and tour guide. If you feel that the tour guide did a great job, offering them extra tips is greatly appreciated.

• Guided tours and tour fees ~ Our tour guides are very caring, licensed, and well educated. Many of our guides have their PhDs.

• Luggage handling (1 suitcase and 1 carry-on per person).

• Single Supplement: If the passenger wants a guaranteed room of their own, they have to pay $1,800 for a single supplement.  As long as the passenger is willing to room with someone and allows us to provide them with a roommate the single supplement does not apply

Trip Does Not Include

• Lunch.

• Trip Insurance. Work directly with Travel Guard (your check with your home insurance company) to protect your investment and insure your money. There are different packages to choose from depending on your travel needs. Use the above link or the link right below the picture of the pope on our home page to visit their site.

scott_sparks@outlook.com

314-517-0770

General Travel Information